Incense of the Damned (aka Blood Suckers) (1972)

Incense for the Damned (aka Blood Suckers)

4/10

Notable cast members includes Peter Cushing playing a small role as Dr. Goodrich (Doc G), Edward Woodward (from TV's "The Equalizer", among many other roles) playing a small role as Dr. Holstrom (Doc H), and Patrick Macnee (the "Waxworks" movies) playing Derek Longbow.

We start off with Tony being dispatched to investigate his old friend Richard, an esteemed professor who some believe is in the drug trade. Richard in engaged to Penelope, Doc G's daughter. After introductions are made all around, we're off to Greece to meet Derek, Tony's liaison. Some guy Bob comes along for some reason (help for the Goodrich's?). Derek lets Tony know that Richard may be up to some hinky stuff.

Scenes of drug use, casual sex, and people wearing disturbing masks! A little bit of murder. Guess the hippy movement wasn't quite over in 1970. Turns out Richard is AWOL, maybe with another girl. And Bob is very adamant that he is NOT a homosexual, right out of thin air (?). Local thuggery is afoot, but very heterosexual Bob saves Penelope from the local rapscallions before having his ass handed to him.

The search continues for Richard, now also a suspect for the aforementioned murder, and he may have been taken against his will by an ancient cult. Supposedly Hercules once beat up this cult. Why is this important? I have no idea, but it was pointed out. After a long while they find a drugged out Richard. Good guys beat on the bad guys to some jaunty 70s music, but the bad guys get away.

Things get weird now. People are running around doing various things, Richard proclaims doom because of an imaginary eagle, foam rocks are dropped on people, and in the middle of a conversation on top of a barren mountain monkey screeches are heard in the background.

Nearly everyone gets back to England. Oh, forget it, now they're playing cricket, sailing boats, and talking about sexual fetishes. Then a bunch of weirder stuff happens, and the film goes to an all sepia color and finally ends. Bob still seems to be heterosexual, though. Consistency if very important, if not color.

The acting of the main characters was not bad. Not great, but not bad. The supporting cast was not so good. While in Greece, the local spoke either Greek or very heavily accented English. Night scenes were nearly completely black. The film stock had scratches and some total dropouts. The music when in England was fairly bad, the Greek music was much better. Sound quality is about average for the time period.

With some more work on the script this could have been a decent movie. As it stands, it is not worth the time to watch. Very little horror in this film, and nothing that would even cause a blink by today's standards.